I remember the first time that I saw Showgirls on a shelf at Blockbusters. I was too young for my parents to let me watch it of course, but young Dusty was intrigued. And who wouldn’t be? The cover art on the VHS (or was it DVD, I can’t quite recall right this moment) is eye catching, artistic, and risque – everything a good film cover should be.
Looking at the back of the case, the synopsis details the story of a young woman on her way to the top of the Vegas showgirl scene – promises of an interesting and, at the time, unique premise. But young Dusty did not watch that movie.
Fast forward 25 years, and I have still never seen Showgirls. It’s not that I decided against watching the film, it’s just that it sorta didn’t catch my eye ever again, and it’s actually kind of surprising that it hasn’t. Since it’s debut, the movie has gone from abysmal reviews and poor public reception to becoming a cult classic with a fan following much akin to Rocky Horror. So what happened there? What changed to give Showgirls a breath of fresh air? Was there some big event? Or was this just simply a film that was over the heads of the critics and an unsung masterpiece?
Well that is what You Don’t Nomi is about.
Clocking in at just over an hour and a half, You Don’t Nomi is a fascinating look at all things Showgirls, from the critical reception to the cast and crew, straight on through to the cult fans who celebrate this film on a the regular.
I was a bit worried going into this documentary, having not seen the film, as I am sure many of you may be. However, prior knowledge of Showgirls is not at all required to enjoy and learn a great deal here. In fact, I would say that having now seen this, I am re-invigorated and planning on watching the movie very soon. In fact, I cannot wait to dive in and see what people have been talking about.
Watching You Don’t Nomi was a very entertaining experience that brought a long lost (to me) title to add to my short list. I highly recommend giving this one a view.
PQ/AQ:
Documentaries are an interesting thing when considering picture and audio quality. You Don’t Nomi shows clips of a wide range of movies, behind the scenes, interviews, and, of course, bits and pieces of Showgirls. The quality is inconsistent, but to be honest, that isn’t the point of this release. At no point were audio or visual qualities a detriment or distracting from the entertainment that this release provides.
Special Features:
There are no special features for this release.
Packaging
Our Recommendation for You Don’t Nomi:
Fans of Showgirls should absolutely pick up this release for some very interesting perspectives on the film. However, even if you have not seen the movie, there is a lot of entertainment and fun in watching the discussions about this oddity, and who knows, you just might find yourself itching to give it a try. I definitely recommend this release.
